S K 

283 

.A 3 8 




































































































































































































































































































I 







William Haskell Allen 




\J diSUsCKSV-^ OJlksL^ 

oAllen’s 

Trapping Secrets 



Published by 

KAKAS BROS., Inc. 
Boston, Mass. 

c~ * 




Copyright 1924 by 
KAKAS BROS., Inc. 



©C1A807512 

OCT 15 1924 



CONTENTS 


Frontispiece 

PAGE 

Introduction 

3 

Early Experiences 

S 

More Experiences 

IS 

The Fox 

. 19 

Mink .... 

29 

The Otter . 

• 33 

The Skunk 

37 

The Muskrat 

. 41 

The Raccoon 

45 

The Beaver . 

• 47 














INTRODUCTION 

In distributing this book to the public, many 
are personally acquainted with the Author, Mr. 
Wm. Haskell Allen. Few, however, realize his 
great success in the taking of fur-bearing animals, 
as he is not boastful and has rarely advertised 
his marked achievements. We have known 
Mr. Allen for many years and can vouch for his 
truthfulness, although some of his experiences 
seem exaggerated. To us he holds first honors 
of the trap line. His ability to locate game is 
marvelous, but his indomitable will power to 
keep everlastingly on the move, often traveling 
day and night spells the keynote of his marked 
success. Mr. Allen is now 71 years of age and 
as active as ever. Kakas Bros. Inc., recommend 
this book to all lovers of the trap line. 

Mr. Allen says, “In giving my methods of 
catching the various kinds of fur-bearing animals, 
I have endeavored to make the reading interest¬ 
ing as well as instructive. To the young 
trapper, I will say,—after you acquire your 
knowledge, do not forget that success comes to 
those who persevere. Follow your trap line 
as you would any vocation for only by doing so, 
will you be well rewarded. To the old trapper, 
I wish to add that criticism of my book is wel¬ 
comed. The methods herein set forth I have 
endeavored to put in concise form, but there are 
many other good ways of taking the Fur Bearers, 
and what I do not know about trapping is well 
worth knowing.” 

Very truly yours, 

The Author. 


Chapter i. 


EARLY EXPERIENCES 

T was born in the town of Brimfield, Mass, in 
A 1853 . My father William Allen being a lover 
of nature, and a man who was fond of hunting, 
fishing and trapping, very often allowed me to 
follow him on his travels. It is therefore not 
strange that I inherited a taste for the wild, and 
very early in life there sprung in my heart a keen 
love of nature and a desire for life in the open. 

When I was eight years of age, my father 
enlisted in the army and went away to war. 
As I was the oldest boy in the family, I felt the 
responsibility of carrying on the farm and being 
the chief support of my mother. 

My earliest recollection of setting traps was at 
the age of ten, when I went alone and made sets 
for the different fur-bearing animals, namely— 
Mink, Muskrat and Skunk. The early training 
which my father had given me, I found much to 
my advantage as my efforts were successful 
almost from the start, and I was rewarded with 
some fine pelts after a few days trapping. That 


5 


year, I caught twenty Muskrats, fifteen Skunks, 
and two Mink. My mother sold the two Mink 
for $ 10.00 each, and part of the proceeds went 
toward buying more traps. It is needless to say 
that I was greatly encouraged, and at this early 
stage in life, I made up my mind to make trap¬ 
ping my life’s work. 

Early training with the gun enabled me to 
become a fair shot, and at the age of fourteen, 
I landed three handsome Fox ahead of my 
father’s hound. It occurred to me, that the 
Fox should be more readily captured by the use 
of the trap than with dog and gun. I therefore 
began the study of his nature and habits, and 
soon learned some very interesting facts, which 
I will attempt to bring out in detail in the 
chapters which follow. 

As I had made up my mind at an early age to 
make trapping my vocation, I had to consider 
what the financial returns might be. I soon 
found out that success in trapping not only 
depended upon the study of the different fur 
bearers, but also upon the time and amount of 
effort devoted to the work. I increased my 
traps each season, and found at the age of seven¬ 
teen that I was meeting with good success. 
That year I caught two hundred fifty Skunk, 
twelve Mink and seventeen Raccoon also many 
6 


Muskrat and several Fox. It will be remember¬ 
ed that at this time the value of furs was very 
low, and the amount realized from the sale of 
my entire collection would not be as much as a 
tenth part present day prices. Still a dollar 
looked pretty big to me, and I realized that all 
I had to do to increase my wealth was to work 
harder. I therefore decided to make a scientific 
study of all fur bearers common to my section 
of the country, and in the pages which follow I 
have endeavored to give the young trapper the 
benefit of this knowledge. 

At the age of thirty, I decided to try new 
territory, and went to Virginia, where I was 
successful in trapping the Otter and Beaver, the 
latter of which was not found in the Bay State. 
This being my first journey from home, I would 
like to relate my experience in Virginia, as it 
illustrates the true hospitality of the Southern 
people. 

I landed in a small village in the southwestern 
part of the State. Here I caught ten Beavers, 
three Otters, one Mink, one Opossum and one 
Cross Fox, all in traps which had been set for 
Otter. I then went twelve miles down stream 
and stayed there about two weeks. It was a 
very severe Winter and business in general in the 
South extremely dull. On my second move, I 


7 


went to Stanton River, staying there about ten 
days. Here I caught one Beaver and three 
Otters, but as I ran into other trappers, I packed 
up and got out of there. 

I went up the River about twenty-five miles 
from my last stopping place, and saw on the 
opposite side quite a good sized stream, and I 
thought there might be Beaver and Otter in the 
creek, so I went prospecting. On inspection of 
the creek, I found the finest trapping grounds I 
had yet seen, and the further out I went the more 
signs I discovered. There were Beaver and 
Otter and I followed the stream up about two 
miles through a tangled swamp, and was satis¬ 
fied that game in this section was plentiful. 
As night came on, I went to the nearest house I 
saw and asked the man living there if he would 
keep me over night, explaining that I was a 
stranger and wanted to trap on the stream. He 
said he didn’t think he could keep me as they 

did not have much room, but that Colonel J- 

who lived about three miles direct south through 
the woods might do so. Before I got through 
the woods I heard the barking of dogs, so kept on 
until I was beset by dogs, a dozen or fifteen of 
them. They treed me on the fence, but fences 
were high down there, so I was well out of their 
reach. Finally an old Darkey heard the com- 
8 



motion and coming up saw the trouble and called 

the dogs away. I asked if Colonel J-lived 

there and he said that he did, and was chopping 
wood nearby. 

Evidently I did not make a good impression 
on the Colonel as he told me he did not think 
that he could put me up for the night. I in¬ 
formed him of my intention to trap on the stream 
below, and he said there was plenty of game. 
By polite insistence, the Colonel finally consent¬ 
ed to ask his wife if they could lodge me over 
night, and I assured him I would pay a good 
price if he would keep me. I told him I was 
from the North, although of course that was not 
necessary as he knew by my speech that I was a 
Yankee, and I presume expected me to play him 
a “Yankee trick.” After being gone for some 
little time, he came to the door and said in a 
drawling tone that he reckoned they could keep 
me. We sat and chatted until about nine o’clock 
when a bell rang in an adjoining room and the 
Colonel’s wife announced supper. My tramp 
of the day had given me a good appetite and I 
ate heartily. We talked for over two hours, and 
as I was about to retire the Colonel turned and 
said, “Mr. Allen you are a trapper, and I wish 
you would tell me some way to get rid of my 
rats.” I suggested that he use dead falls, and 


9 


in a few moments showed him how to make one 
by using a flat box with a weight in it. We set 
four in the attic and much to my surprise and 
to his great pleasure, next morning found a rat 
in each trap. 

As it rained very hard the next day, I remain¬ 
ed indoors, and got quite well acquainted with 
the Colonel. I found him an interesting charac¬ 
ter and told him about the different people with 
whom I had stayed and convinced him that I was 
respectable. About three o’clock that after¬ 
noon it stopped raining and the sun came out. 
Colonel Jones was taking a nap and his wife sat 
playing the organ. At last she put her head 
down on her hands and went to sleep, and it was 
pretty dull music for me there, so I left the house 
quietly and went down the stream where I had 
not ventured the night before. I found the 
water so high that it was impossible to tell what 
the conditions were, but still I tramped around 
and did not come back until after dark. When 
I did return the Colonel was out bringing in wood 
and he said, “Well, Mr. Allen, I thought you had 
left us.” “Yes,” I replied, “You thought 
probably I had played a trick on you, but I am 
not that kind of a person.” We went into the 
house, and he seemed quite willing that I stay 
with him again that night, but I intended next 


io 


morning to leave and find a new boarding place. 
The Colonel wanted to know if I was satisfied 
to stay there, and I told him I should be very 
pleased to do so, while I was operating on the 
creek, so he said, “Well, I reckon we can board 
you.” As I had to have more traps, and had 
left some of my belongings back in town, I took 
the train and went to get them that day, return¬ 
ing with a large bag loaded with Otter and 
Beaver traps. As the stream lay between the 
railroad station and the Colonel’s house, I 
started through the village down onto the stream, 
and had time to set four traps before dark, one 
for Otter and three for Beaver. I hid the other 
traps under an old fence, and went up to the 
house. Next morning when I went to my traps, 
I was rewarded with one Otter, two Beavers and 
one Racoon. I kept increasing my output of 
traps every day, and had very good success along 
this creek. 

My presence in that locality aroused consider¬ 
able curiosity, and the villagers and neighbors 
would often call at my boarding place and when 
returning from my trap line, I would find horses 
and carriages hitched to the trees around the 
house. They wanted to see the “Yankee Trap¬ 
per.” Often I waited outside for more than 
an hour until they went, I did not want to 


ii 


inform them about my doings as they would go 
into the creeks where I would be trapping and 
would annoy me, and sometimes I would find my 
traps missing. 

One day while getting ready to pull up stakes, 
a stranger drove into the yard driving a fine 
carriage with a pair of horses attached. I 
walked up boldly to the gentleman and greeted 
him. He asked me if I worked for Colonel 

J-. When I vouched the information that 

I was stopping with him and trapping along the 
stream below, his interest was at once aroused 
and I was obliged to tell him of my success 
whereupon he insisted on seeing the skins I had 
taken. “Well, well,” he said, “I have heard that 
there were Beavers around here, and have seen 
some of the damage they have done along the 
creek, but these are the first I have ever seen.” 
He became very enthused at my success, and said 
I was the first real trapper he had ever been 
privileged to meet. Then he added, “My name 
is Jones, and I am a Minister, and would like 
very much to have you come to my Church.” 
When I explained to him that my clothing was 
not fit to wear to Church, and that my good 
clothes were many miles from there, he remarked 
that I could hear just as well in those clothes as 
in the best ones money could buy, and he very 


12 


much desired my presence at Church services. 
I thanked him for the courteous invitation, and 
left him in a very happy frame of mind. It 
seemed delightful to meet so many affable people 
while away from home, and friends, and this, 
my first experience in Virginia, will always be a 
very pleasant memory to me. 


13 



Chapter 2. 


MORE EXPERIENCES 

/^jNCE while trapping in the month of February 
along both sides of a river, I had occasion to 
cross the stream, moving down about three- 
quarters of a mile below the bridge on which I 
had crossed. At this point I came to one of my 
traps on the opposite side of the river. I could 
see from where I was that I had captured a nice 
large Mink. The water was high, as there had 
been a regular freshet, but I wanted to cross so 
as to get the Mink without going back to the 
bridge three-quarters of a mile above. I hunted 
around and found an old rail fence and after a 
few minutes labor, I withed four of these twelve- 
foot rails together with some willow sticks, 
making a raft which I thought would serve my 
purpose. Securing a long pole, I intended to 
pole my way across the stream. Shoving off 
bravely I got about one-third of the way out 
when I saw that the current was very strong. 
It sent me to one side and at the same time my 
iS 


foot slipped between the rails and the more I 
tried to extricate it the harder it wedged in. 
In my excitement I did not notice what was 
taking place, but a big cake of floating ice came 
down the river, struck my improvised raft and 
in a second I found myself struggling in the 
water underneath the raft. Fortunately I was 
a strong swimmer and did not lose control of the 
situation. I found, however, that my pole was 
not long enough to reach the bottom and that I 
had to swim, pulling the raft behind me on one 
foot. The more I tried to withdraw my foot 
from the raft the tighter it clung to me. After 
some little time in the water, I struck the op¬ 
posite shore about two hundred feet below 
where I had started. I lifted myself up by the 
bushes at the same time pulling my foot out of 
my boot. When I was on shore, I found a 
strong Northwest wind blowing, and I realized 
I must wring what water I could out of my 
clothes, as there was no other way to dry them, 
since I was a long way from any house. My 
position soon became ludicrous as before I could 
get my clothes on they began to freeze. How¬ 
ever, I finally succeeded in accomplishing this 
feat and I certainly moved around swiftly until 
I got warmed up. I got a nice large dark Mink 
in my trap, so soon forgot my unpleasant 
16 


experience, and when I reached home that night, 
was none the worse for my ducking in the river. 

As game was not very plentiful in my section 
I thought there might be better grounds outside. 
I finally found what looked to be a good country 
for Skunk so I set my traps right along, about 
forty of them and when I set the last one, it was 
just dark, and raining hard. As it was a long 
way to my home, I thought I would have to stay 
the night with one of the farmers. I walked up 
to a house and saw that the curtain was up and 
a man sitting by the window. I asked at this 
house if they could keep me for the night as I 
could not get home in the storm, and they said 
they could. I began telling them that I was a 
trapper and might smell somewhat of Skunk, 
and asked if they objected, but the man spoke 
up and said that both he and his wife had 
catarrh for forty years and couldn’t smell a 
thing. 

I went on from there and set traps all the way 
home the next day, and the distance I covered 
setting traps was about fifteen miles. It snowed 
a little and when the snow went off, I thought I 
would attend to these traps. I started early in 
the morning and made the trip up to those that 
I set the first day, then I got interested, and I 
thought I would go through with the whole 


17 


trip, so kept on all night and did not have any¬ 
thing to eat after I started until I reached home 
thirty-six hours later. I skinned the animals 
during the night by feeling, as I had no light. 
When I got home I had fifty-one Skunk, one 
Fox and one Raccoon. The last mile or two I 
was rather played out, but I did not let down 
my load until I reached home. The next 
morning I thought I would weigh my catch, and 
was quite surprised to see it tip the scales at 
seventy pounds. This I had carried on my back 
all the way home. 


18 


Chapter 3. 
THE FOX 


/ X V HE FOX is a very crafty animal and is 
A thought to be very difficult to trap, but is very 
easily taken if one goes at it right. There are 
several methods of trapping the Fox. I will 
mention one in which I have been very success¬ 
ful. I find old fields and pastures and edges of 
woods where I know Foxes travel. Finding a 
pine or hemlock tree I drop down some limbs, 
making a pile of them, at the same time leaving 
a path or gap wide enough for a Fox to pass 
through. Carefully set trap near the middle 
of this path making a hole by pounding down 
the earth with the heel of your boot. This is 
best done by first removing the pine needles, 
which are to be put back over the trap lightly so 
as to make the ground look natural. Set the 
trap so it will come level with the surface when 
it is covered. Now find a small stick the size 
of a pencil, or even smaller and very carefully 
lay across the path about three inches from the 


19 


trap, and raise this stick about three inches from 
the ground. The object of placing this stick 
across the path is to make the Fox step over it 
and nine times out of ten, he will step directly 
into the trap. I prefer pine needles for covering 
a trap as they lay flat and will not blow off like 
leaves, exposing the trap. After you have done 
this, step back a few feet from the path you have 
made through the pile of brush, and make a 
small hole in which place a little bait, covering 
the bait lightly. Do the same thing on the other 
side of the path through the brush. The idea in 
placing two baits being to lure the Fox from one 
to the other. When Mr. Fox has tasted one 
piece of bait, he will be looking around for the 
other and will go directly through this path into 
your trap. I do not like to set a trap too close 
to the bait as the Fox has a very acute sense of 
smell and often will locate the trap and keep 
away. Now for bait I use Skunk or Muskrat, 
cut in small pieces, and put into a clean quart 
preserve jar, and when about to go on the trap 
line, remove bait to small jar suitable to carry in 
pocket. Never handle the bait with your hands, 
use a sharp stick, both in putting it into the can 
and removing it. I do not believe there is any¬ 
thing in the world that a Fox likes better than 
Skunk, although Muskrat or House Cat are also 


20 


very good. In preparing bait, take the carcass 
to be used and soak in some stagnant pool of 
water for at least two or three weeks before 
using. This soaking removes all human scent 
and gives a flavor to the meat which the Fox 
very much likes. In picking my traps for Foxes, 
I endeavor to select the best made trap I can 
get, and prefer those that set low and do not 
take up too much room, but are strong enough 
to hold. For land sets, I prefer and almost 
always use a No. and do not know that I 
have ever had a Fox pull out of a trap this size. 
For water sets, however, a larger sized trap is 
necessary. I never stake a trap for a Fox. I 
use a chain about three feet long with a two- 
prong grapple on the end, one turning up and 
the other down. In setting the trap, coil the 
chain up and place it under the trap or pull it 
to one side and cover it up. When the Fox is 
caught, he will go off with the trap, but you will 
find him tangled up not far away. 

Another very good set is called the “blind set,” 
and I use this in a path where Foxes are most 
likely to travel. Find where some farmer has 
done his Fall plowing, and on the outside furrow 
place your trap. Make a hole large enough to 
take both the trap and grapple and cover it all 
with whatever material is natural to the place. 


21 


Put a stick in front of the trap as above stated. 
Place the bait for this set on either side of the 
trap about one hundred feet apart. Two or 
three traps set between the baits is of course 
more likely to produce a Fox than one, but a 
great deal of importance should be attached to 
the placing 'of a very small sized stick three 
inches to one side of the trap, as explained in 
the foregoing method. A Fox will always step 
over this stick into the trap. One of the best 
coverings for a Fox trap is the dirt from an ant 
hill. This is nearly always dry and will shed 
water. Put some into a paper bag and carry 
in your hunting coat pocket. Before you cover 
your traps, place one or two large flat oak leaves 
over the trap, to keep the dirt out, then use the 
ant material over all. I always carry a small 
trowel with me while trapping as it is handy to 
dig with and should always be used in handling 
the dirt covering. 

A little good scent should be placed on the 
meat you have used. This is made from different 
materials. I have always found the scent glands 
of the Mink as good as anything. Take them 
out, and put into a small bottle with a little 
alcohol, and only the pure should be used. 
This may be hard to obtain, but it is an im¬ 
portant point to remember in making scent. 


22 


In preparing traps before setting, boil fifteen or 
twenty minutes in hemlock boughs. This will 
take the new off, making them look black and 
will also kill the scent of the iron. Next get 
some Bayberry wax or tallow, put in a kettle 
of hot water, and let remain until it melts, then 
dip traps in and out slowly. This will also form 
a coating over your traps that will last a long 
time, and will keep them from rusting. The 
traps should be prepared two months before the 
trapping season. For land sets, I take my traps 
out to the trapping grounds a week or two 
before I begin to trap, and lay them to one 
side so I will not have to handle them much 
until I set them for the game. Some trappers 
use gloves in setting traps, but I use bare hands, 
keeping them rubbed with fresh earth while 
setting the traps. 


Water Set For Fox 

The Water Set is best made in a spring. 
Find a good one which does not freeze over, 
three or four feet across, leaving if possible the 
edge of the bank not over an inch or two higher 
than the water on one side. Set the trap three 
inches from the shore, under water enough to 
cover the trap. Seven or eight inches from the 


23 


trap, lay a stone, sod, or mound of some kind 
having it an inch or two above the water. On 
this place the bait. Place chain and grapple 
under water with trap and cover all with mud, 
or old water-soaked leaves. Where set is made 
in woods or brush and it is possible to do so, 
place a piece of moss on pan of trap large enough 
to conceal it. If, however, your set is made in 
open country, put a piece of sod with short grass 
in place of the moss. This leaves the surround¬ 
ings natural, and is done to induce the Fox to 
put his feet on it in reaching for the bait, and 
should be left one-half to three-quarters of an 
inch above the water. 

To support the pan of the trap, with its 
weight, get some old brittle sticks such as 
Goldenrod, as these will break when they 
are wet as well as when dry. Place one of 
these under the pan of the trap, letting it 
run across the trap from outside of jaws to out¬ 
side. Do not have it strong enough to hold 
up the whole weight of the Fox, as it must give 
way when he steps on the pan of the trap to get 
the bait. This set can be made in small streams 
as well as in springs. The trapper should wear 
rubber boots and get into the water below 
where set is to be made, and follow up stream. 
This is done to cover up approach to the trap. 

24 


When you have completed your set, return in 
the same manner, and do not make any dis¬ 
turbance about the trap, while setting it. 


Still-Hunting the Fox 

I have had many good times with a Fox 
Hound chasing Foxes all day long. Have shot 
a good many ahead of dogs, but have also en¬ 
joyed still-hunting the Fox. This is best done 
when snow is on the ground. A great deal 
depends on being able to work quietly and hav¬ 
ing much patience. Most people do not like 
to still-hunt the Fox, as this animal’s acute 
sense of smell and hearing requires very careful 
work on the part of the hunter. A Fox usually 
starts out and travels during the night, and at 
daylight he will begin to prepare for his day’s 
nap. He will first begin to run crooked and 
perhaps make back tracks, then jump out to 
one side, and perhaps repeat this operation or 
jump on a log and run up and down that, in 
fact, he will jump on anything on which there 
is no snow so as to cover up his trail. When 
the hunter sees this, he wants to watch very 
carefully as there is sure to be a Fox nearby, and 
he is probably preparing to lay down. Keep a 
sharp lookout as probably the Fox is watching 

2 5 


your every movement, and is laying down 
facing his back tracks. I have hunted Foxes in 
this manner for a good many years, and have 
never known a Fox to face in any direction 
except that from which he came. When a Fox 
lays down, he does not go to sleep for quite a 
while, as he is looking for enemies, and will not 
go to sleep until he is satisfied there is no danger 
at hand. If the hunter has been extremely 
cautious, he may be able to get very close to the 
Fox before attracting his attention. When 
still-hunting, it is very important to remember 
that you must keep your face to the wind, as 
should you travel the other way your scent will 
be carried to the Fox’s nose, and you will have 
no chance of getting him. Sometimes the Fox 
will hear you, and move a little, but is not likely 
to go very far, unless you have given him a 
good fright. Try to find some bush or stone 
behind which you can hide, and watch Mr. Fox. 
I have stayed around watching a Fox for an 
hour at a time and when he got sound asleep 
would try to crawl along to get within gun shot. 
Should your Fox move he will very likely circle 
right around and get his nose into the wind 
again. Do not let this discourage you, but keep 
right after him just the same. I have been 
after one all day long, starting him a good many 
26 


times, the Fox finally getting so tired that he 
would go sound asleep, and could be easily shot. 
In fact, I have crept up within fifteen feet of 
them. There have been times when I would not 
be able to land Mr. Fox until just about dark. 
This method of taking the Fox requires a great 
deal of skill and patience, but to me is always 
very interesting. 


27 








Chapter 4. 


MINK 



'HE MINK is considered a wise little animal 


A and most people find them quite difficult to 
trap. They may be in some sections, but I 
never had any trouble in catching Mink, where- 
ever I could find them. I go along a stream and 
if I find signs of Mink, I make a hedge across the 
brook where not likely to be seen by human 
beings, by putting down some sticks to obstruct 
their passage leaving a narrow place open on the 
outside in which to set the trap. Place the trap 
an inch or two under the water and two or three 
feet away put a little scent on a dead stick. If 
the Mink is making his way up or down stream, 
he will stop and investigate and be caught. 
This set is ideal for use along small streams 
leading into larger ones. On larger streams such 
as rivers, I take the inside curve or bend and 
make a little pocket or shelf at the water’s edge 
by beating down the earth with the heel of my 
boot. Traps should be set on this shelf under 


29 


water an inch or two and out from the trap on 
the water, stick down some old sticks two or 
three feet out into the water. On a dead stick 
place a little scent and stick in the bank so that 
it will come over the trap. This will call the 
Mink in. The fence which you have made in 
the water will serve to guide them into the trap. 

Mink can be very often caught on land in 
what is known as the “dry set” by making a 
small bush fence along the bank of a stream and 
leaving a small opening just wide enough to set 
the trap in. Where this is done it is advisable 
to lengthen the chain of the trap allowing the 
Mink to get into the water. The trap should 
be fastened to a small bush as this makes a good 
drag, and if used, the Mink is not likely to pull 
out of the trap as he will soon drown in the 
water. A good place to catch Mink is under 
overhanging banks. If a close watch is kept, 
you will see their tracks. Mink can be caught 
in many other places, such as under stumps, 
roots, rocks, holes in the bank, etc. When a 
Mink travels up or down a stream, he will in¬ 
variably run into these places in search of mice 
or other food, suitable to his taste. 

In severe winter weather a water set can be 
used successfully in a spring or where it does not 
freeze. The land set has an advantage in that 


30 


it can be used any time until the deep snows 
come. For scent, use early in the season the 
Musk of the Mink and Muskrat put together in 
a little alcohol. Later on add a few drops of 
Skunk’s essence, and I am very sure that you 
will have as good a scent as can possibly be put 
together. It has been my experience that nearly 
all wild meat-eating animals are fond of Skunk 
flesh. The Fox, Raccoon, Skunk, Mink, Wild 
Cat and Weasel take to this bait quite readily, 
and I have often caught Mink in deadfalls which 
I had set for Skunk, but some of them were 
quite a long way from the water. A Mink will 
go from one water course to another by crossing 
over a hill, following along a fence or wall. In 
such places, it is quite common to catch them 
in deadfalls. 

Never stake a trap down solid for a Mink. 
Fasten it to a small bush about three-fourths 
of an inch through. Cut it five or six inches 
below a limb, and then cut the limb off about three 
inches from the stick, and put ring over the butt 
end of the bush, and over the limb you cut off, 
and let ring go back to the limb. Lay bush so 
that it can be drawn into the water, letting the 
Mink go with it loose. I never stake a trap 
solid for any animal and I never use a bait for 
Mink, only the scent alone. 


3i 
















Chapter 5. 
THE OTTER 


T have found the Otter the most difficult to 
A trap of all the fur bearers I have had to con¬ 
tend with. Their scent of smell and sight is 
very acute and extreme care must be exercised 
in trapping them. The Otter frequents rivers 
and ponds preferring streams of larger size, as he 
is famous as a fisherman and makes his living 
largely on the fish he catches. It is therefore 
natural that they should live in the larger 
streams where fish are more abundant. The 
Otter is found in large swamps where he can 
work under the bogs and roots and where springs 
and frogs are plentiful. 

In seeking a proper location for your trap, 
bear in mind that the Otter prefers to make his 
landing along a steep bank where the water is of 
considerable depth. This is explained from the 
fact that he usually slides from his hiding place 
down into the water and he naturally wants a 
good place in which to dive. The trap should 
be set at a favorable landing about three or four 


33 


inches under water, and about three inches to one 
side of his path, as the Otter’s legs are short, and 
far apart and if the pan of the trap is placed in 
the centre of his way out, the Otter would be like¬ 
ly to spring it with his breast. In such a case, Mr. 
Otter would leave those parts immediately, and 
would very likely not return for a year or more. 
The trap should be a very strong one, a Number 
3 or 4 in size, of a good reliable make. Use a 
strong chain on the trap, six feet long. Fasten 
the chain to a bush same as for Mink, but have 
the bush much larger, say an inch and a half 
through at butt end. When an Otter gets into 
a trap, let him go with trap and bush and you 
will very likely find him not far away tangled up 
around a root or if the water is deep, he will very 
likely drown very soon after he is caught. 

Many times where the Otter comes to land, 
a trap cannot be set in the water, as it will be 
too deep and the bank too steep. In such cases, 
I make a land set, in places where they wallow 
and tumble about in the mud. Put your trap 
into the ground deep enough so that it will be 
level when covered whenever possible. Before 
setting the trap take some of the Otter’s green 
manure and rub it all over the trap. Otherwise 
he would be apt to smell the trap and leave, not 
to return. When set right, cover trap and 

34 


chain well so as to look as if you had not been 
there. Make a little furrow out toward the 
water, to lay the chain in, and set a bush up as 
if it were growing, or if the ground is hard, hang 
it over, but not near the trap. In placing the 
trap under the mud, it is very important to 
remember to place some light substance under 
the pan such as Goldenrod, or weak sticks to 
keep it up, and at the same time allow the trap 
to spring easily with the weight of the Otter on 
the pan. If any part of the chain is placed in 
water, be sure to cover it also, as the Otter can 
see as well under water as out. On rivers, ponds, 
and lakes, where the water is deep, the top of the 
bush to which the trap is fastened should be 
tied, wired, or withed to another bush or tree, 
for should the Otter drag the trap into deep 
water, it would be impossible to locate him. 
Nearly always, however, the Otter can go loose 
with the bush, and I have never lost one in that 
way. 


35 






f 












































Chapter 6. 
THE SKUNK 


T find some trappers do not trap the Skunk on 
A account of the odor, but to me the scent of the 
skunk is not as offensive as that of the Mink or 
Weasel. I also note that a large number of 
trappers use steel traps in taking the Skunk. 
This method I seldom employ, preferring to use 
a stone dead fall, which is commonly called the 
“Figure Four.” I consider this a much better 
way as it is a sure catch. Of course, there 
are locations where suitable flat stones for 
dead falls can not be found and in such country, 
I use the steel trap. The dead fall kills instantly, 
and when caught in this way there is very little, 
if any odor. I doubt very much if many trappers 
have ever caught as many Skunk in steel traps 
during a season as I have in dead falls. Some 
open winters I have secured over four hundred 
fine pelts in this manner. To accomplish this, 
it is necessary to set as many as five hundred 
dead falls. One disadvantage of the dead fall is 
that it cannot very well be used after snow fall, 


37 


but it is certainly very satisfactory through the 
Fall months. 

I generally bait with the flesh of the Skunk, 
and I find they will take this in preference to 
other meat through the Fall and early Winter. 
As the season advances, the Skunk has a rank 
flavor, and I discovered that roasting will make 
the bait far more attractive. Smoked ham is 
also a good bait, as the cold weather approaches, 
but mice will clean it off the spindle in a short 
time, so to prevent this I get a box of “Ruff on 
Rats’’ and roll the bait in it. If one does this 
there will be no more trouble with mice. 

One season while trapping, we had had a hard 
Winter, and as soon as there came a break, I 
put in some dead falls, but the Skunk would 
not go near them, although I felt sure that they 
would be hungry. However, Skunk will some¬ 
times live through the Winter on their fat, not 
coming out until Spring, and then are not very 
anxious to take bait. This time I decided to 
try an experiment. I took a Skunk carcass that 
I had, cut it into small pieces and baked it in 
the oven. I then went out and set fifteen traps, 
using this bait. The night was rather warm, 
and it snowed a little, so next morning, I went 
around to my traps and found nine Skunk in the 
fifteen traps. After that I always roasted my 
bait in late Winter trapping. 

38 


I must emphasize the fact that Skunk is an 
excellent bait for many of the fur-bearing 
animals. There is nothing the Fox likes better 
than Skunk flesh. One winter I hung up several 
carcasses to dry; the Foxes would come and pick 
those carcasses bare of flesh. Finally one day 
I got a large one, skinned him in good shape, and 
strung him up on a little pine, three or four feet 
from the ground. A few days later, I got 
another, and hung it in the same place. Shortly 
after, while passing this tree, I noticed the Foxes 
were working on these carcasses. In order to 
do this, they had to stand on their hind feet and 
I thought there was a very good place to get 
Mr. Fox, so one day I went with my traps. It 
looked as if a snow was coming, so I put down 
two traps at the foot of the pine, about two feet 
away, and arranged them in such a manner that 
while the Fox was working on the Skunk car¬ 
casses, he would be likely to get caught. Next 
morning, much to my pleasure, I had a nice 
Red Fox and later caught two more. When 
setting these traps, I put paraffin paper over 
them to keep out the snow, and keep the traps 
from freezing. Here was a case where the Skunk 
had assisted me in landing three fine Fox pelts. 

As the Skunk makes his home in a den, this is 


39 


the most favorable place for the use of steel 
traps. Unlike the Fox, he has no cunning, and 
will walk directly into a trap placed in his path. 
He very rarely digs a hole for himself, but pre¬ 
fers an old den of a Woodchuck, or a Rabbit’s 
hole or an old stone wall where he can make his 
home without much labor. In such places it is 
an easy matter to set the traps, covering them 
over with a little light material such as leaves or 
weeds, and fastening to a bush. An ideal loca¬ 
tion for a Skunk is on a side hill around ledges. 
They are often found, however, under old barns 
in the cellar walls. As they usually den up in 
December the best trapping period is from the 
opening of the season until Christmas. In a 
January thaw, they will sometimes venture forth 
but in early February they come out again, and 
if a little snow is on the ground, they are easily 
tracked to their new lairs. As many as ten or 
twelve Skunk will often be found in a den. Any 
good strong trap, a No. i or No. 2 can be used 
for catching the Skunk. 


40 


Chapter 7. 
THE MUSKRAT 


/ T S HE MUSKRAT is found in larger numbers 
than any other fur-bearing animal in America. 
It is very easily trapped, although some trappers 
will be more successful than others in taking 
them. Their success depends largely on judg¬ 
ment in placing the traps. The most common 
set is known as the “blind set,” which means 
placing the trap in the Muskrat’s path. From 
this the trapper will see that it is important to 
know where the Rats travel. Such places as a 
small ditch leading from larger streams or along 
a mud bank are ideal locations. 

The Muskrat inhabits swamps as well as run¬ 
ning streams, ponds and lakes. They are found 
along the banks of rivers and ponds or lakes at 
such places where they can erect their grass 
houses in which to live and breed. An ideal 
location for the Muskrat is a large swamp. In 
small streams, ditches or around mud holes, the 
trapper will learn to locate the hiding places of 
these little animals. His tracks will be seen in 


41 


the mud and well-beaten paths will be found 
leading back from the water’s edge to the den 
in the bank. The trap should be placed at the 
edge of the stream under an inch or twoof water. 
Fasten the trap to a small bush same as for 
Mink, as explained in Chapter 4. Care should 
be taken to make the set appear as natural as 
possible to surroundings in order to avoid a 
discovery by marauders. Place a few water- 
soaked leaves over the trap, covering chain with 
mud, and the set is complete. 

Traveling up or down streams, Muskrats will 
almost invariably stop on rocks or stumps and a 
good set is made by placing a trap on one end of a 
log, partially submerged. Select any piece of 
timber, six or seven inches in diameter or larger, 
and at one end hew or saw down so as to make a 
flat surface on which to place the trap, and 
fasten the chain with a staple. Carry the timber 
well into the water, and anchor, or fasten a wire 
so that part of the log is above the surface of the 
water. This makes a stopping place for the 
Muskrat, and if desired a trap may be placed at 
both ends of the log. 

As explained in the method of trapping Mink, 
it is sometimes advisable to make a small fence 
part way across the stream, and in such a manner 
that the Mink would be guided to the trap. 

42 


The same thing may be done with the Muskrat, 
and when Mr. Rat comes along the stream to 
such a point, he is sure to follow this obstruction 
to the water’s edge where the trap should be 
placed. Some trappers are more successful by 
using bait, but I very rarely employ this method. 
A piece of an apple, or parsnip can be used by 
placing it on a stick twelve or fourteen inches 
above the trap. The advantage in using a little 
bait sometimes lies in the fact that the trap can 
be placed almost anywhere along the stream, and 
if food is scarce in that section, a Muskrat would 
be likely to come to it. I always try to make my 
sets in such a manner that the Muskrat will 
drown quickly. This leaves no scent about and 
makes the catch sure. 




43 






















Chapter 8. 
THE RACCOON 


T never make any special sets for the Coon. 

Have caught many of them in traps which 
were set for Mink. They are poking around the 
water much of the time and any bait or scent 
that will attract the Mink will also attract the 
Coon. They are fond of fish, frogs, nuts, 
berries, grapes, cherries and apples, also various 
kinds of meat. I have caught a good many 
Coon in deadfalls that were set for Skunk, and 
baited with Skunk and Muskrat. Of course, 
they can be taken in traps about the water just 
as well, with the same baits, and the scent 
which I use for the Mink would bring them to 
the trap. Coon will move about in cold weather 
if the ground is bare. After snow fall their 
signs are seldom seen. In the South they seem 
to be active all Winter. I have caught many of 
them there in traps set for other game. On 
streams where trapping Mink, if I see signs of 
Coon, I fasten the trap same as for Mink to a 
bush, but having it larger and of hard wood, as 

45 


the Coon is a hard fighter in a trap and is very 
apt to cut into a soft wood bush and get away 
with the trap. 

As the Coon is strong and a great fighter a 
good reliable trap is necessary. A No. 2 will 
hold them although some trappers prefer a No. 3 
for this animal. 

The best location for Coon is in a heavy 
growth of timber or in country where ledges are 
plentiful. 


46 


Chapter 9 
THE BEAVER 


TXTHILE the Beaver is not so difficult to 
* trap as the Fox and Otter, yet care and 
caution should be taken as it does not take much 
disturbance to frighten them. My first ex¬ 
perience with Beaver trapping was in the 
southern portion of old Virginia, which was forty- 
one years ago. At that time I had never seen 
a Hunter and Trapper’s Guide, nor had never 
received any instructions in catching Beaver. 
I did not know there were any Beaver in the 
South, until I got there. On being informed 
by the natives that there were Beaver in that 
section, I began to prospect for them, and in a 
short time found a colony. I arrived on the 
Beaver grounds late in the afternoon with four 
No. 4 traps which I set. I started off the next 
morning with eight more traps, and on getting 
to the creek, found I had caught two Beaver 
in the four traps set the evening before. After 
resetting these traps I took plenty of time 
in setting my other eight traps which made 


47 


twelve in all in the best places. The next 
morning I started out expecting to get several 
Beaver, but got badly left, as I did not get 
anything, not even a trap sprung, nor did I 
get a Beaver for a week or more. Could 
not see where one made a move, and when I 
did it was very slight, all because the first two 
I caught were not drowned. When the others 
saw them fighting the trap, it warned them of 
danger. After a time they began to work more 
freely, and I caught the whole colony in a few 
days by getting at it right. 

Some trappers make a break in dam and 
set trap there, but this is a poor method, as 
when one Beaver is trapped, the others will know 
it, and the trapper will have trouble in getting 
them, as I have stated above. The trap should 
be set so as to be taken while working alone, and 
drowned as soon as possible, which can be done 
by the weight of a stone of about eight or ten 
pounds fastened to the chain six inches from 
the trap. I have the chains from five to six 
feet long on all of my Beaver and Otter traps. 
When trapping Beaver, one should carry a 
hatchet and when ready to set the trap find a 
stone of the right weight rather oblong in shape 
and use the head of the hatchet to make some 
notches quite deep around the stone. Put the 
48 


chain around it so the links will be one-half 
inch apart, then put baled hay wire or some other 
wire about the same size through links and draw 
it up and twist it tight, and cut it off with pliers, 
which every trapper should have with him 
while trapping. Set the trap three or four 
inches under water, place stone to one side and 
cover it up. If the water is deep enough to 
drown the game, fasten the trap at the end of 
the chain under water out of sight, if the chain 
is not long enough to reach deep water, use some 
wire that will be long enough. In trapping 
Beaver on a stream that is not very large, and 
not deep, let them go with the trap loose. Get 
a dead dry stick, cut a notch around the middle, 
put a wire around the notch in stick and through 
ring of chain and twist up tight. Have the stick 
about four feet long, lay the stick under water 
out of sight. To hold it down cut a short stake 
like a hay hook and put it down over the dry 
stick, just enough to hold it down. When the 
game gets caught it will go down stream with 
stone, stick and trap, and you will locate your 
Beaver in the first deep hole down stream as 
the stick will float and it will prevent him from 
getting into any hole under the bank. 

I always carry a small iron hook with me 
with a five or six inch shank and lash it to the 


49 


small end of a pole with a string or wire to fish 
them out with. It is a good plan to find what 
kind of wood they are feeding on, and cut a 
small stick or sapling and stick down where 
the water is shallow and set a trap beside it. 
This will attract their attention, and they will 
go up to cut it off and will be caught. I 
do not always use scent, but when I do, I use the 
Beaver Castor, which will be found on the 
Beaver, same as glands on the Muskrat. Put 
it in a bottle and in using same, put it on a stick 
near the trap. The Beaver will be quite sure 
to go to it. 


5o 








































4 























I 


* 




I 




















































Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Jan. 2013 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-2111 
















































































































































































































